The Queen's Sacrifice
by griffindork93
Summary: Yuuki struggles to rule a vampire nation while being pregnant. The queen's the most powerful piece on the chessboard, but sometimes she needs to be sacrificed to check the king. Sequel to Where the Dice Fall.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: in honor of my one year anniversary as an author on fanfiction i've decided to update all my in-progress stories and to put up a few new ones. Hopefully, if i ever get writer's block, i can cure it by writing one of seven other stories.**

**And here is your long awaited sequel. I waited to start writing this because I wanted to see how the manga ended. And I must say I was disappointed. If you don't want spoilers please proceed to the unbolded type. While very happy that Kaname finally got to experience life in the sun and be just another human, after all he sacrificed he more than deserved it, I absolutely hated that Yuuki actually got with Zero and had kids with him. He threatened to kill her more than once. He totally doesn't deserve her. That said, I'm so glad I killed him. Stealing another man's girl is just not cool.**

**Rant over.**

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Her well-manicured nails tapped out a quick rhythm. It was her way to vent stress.

Sara thought she had planned for every move Kuran could make. It had been obvious that he had been trying to make waves, so Sara never took her eyes off the last Kuran. She watched him from afar, studying his decisions and actions, and prepared herself for the time when he would make his changes.

But she had never seen the girl coming. How did one predict the miraculous return of a Pureblood no one knew existed?

It had only been one month since her reveal, yet the couple already had a following. Kaname was hunting down the hunters like the dogs they were, and the girl had thrown one ball and already planned their coronation on the Winter Solstice.

Sara crumbled the invite to the King's and Queen's Coronation Ball on December twenty-first.

She refused to see a human on the throne. Sara would not follow a lesser being. Six months was plenty of time for her to remove the human and insert herself in her place.

"Fetch me lunch please, darling." She asked of one of her handmaidens. The young girl, who served Sara in return for the promise of immortality, obediently brought forth a human female in her early twenties, most likely a college student, too drunk to realize that Sara's flashing fangs were not plastic inserts.

Sara drank deeply; she so loved the taste of fresh blood from a female. Once finished she order the human removed.

The human was placed in a cell. A Pureblood did not need to drink every day, but Sara enjoyed her luxury and the strength fresh blood gave her. Soon, she would have an army of Level Es. The Kurans could not fight the war on two fronts. They would have to choose the hunters or the fallen.

And when they chose to exterminate the ex-humans, Sara would be there to show the nobility that the Kurans were incapable of taking charge of an entire nation. If they could not control the creation of Level Es, how could they ever be trusted to see to the safety of all vampires; they could not even protect the humans they valued so dearly.

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Yuuki cursed, taking pride in the fact that she no longer talked with a lisp, as her fangs slid out of her gums once more. Only a month into her pregnancy, and she was consuming more blood than her books said the average female drank. She had already taken from Aidou twice that morning.

She knew he wouldn't complain. Aidou idolized her brother, and now he worshipped her. He did everything she asked of him and some things she didn't. He tutored her in politics and culture until see could host a party in her sleep. So far, Aidou was the only one Yuuki had informed about her pregnancy. He had made her swear to never lie to him so that he could always protect her, and to tell him of anything important that could pose a risk to her health.

Yuuki didn't believe being pregnant would be bad for her health, but she had let Aidou know so that he could care for her properly. When she had told him, the Aristocrat had promptly knelt, offering his neck, and promised to always be available should a blood craving strike.

Her hormones had caused her to burst into tears, and Aidou had panicked. He didn't stop listing all the horrible things Kaname would do to him until Yuuki told him they were tears of happiness.

But Yuuki may have been wrong. This pregnancy was extremely draining on her. She was experiencing lethargy and severe blood cravings, to the point where she was drinking four or five times a day, symptoms that she shouldn't be having until her six month.

She could tell Aidou was worried, too. He never denied her blood, but she could see it in his face. He, too, knew this was abnormal. Neither knew what to do, so they did nothing. Yuuki drank until she thought she might be sick, and Aidou slurped blood tablets like slushies.

They had tried once, to substitute the synthetic blood, but Yuuki's body had rebelled instantly. The dissolved blood tablets came right back up.

"Yuuki-sama, perhaps we should tell, Lord Kaname."

"No." Yuuki shook her head. She could not tell her brother she was sick. He would worry too much about her and not his campaign. "He needs to focus on the hunters, and convincing those who follow Sara a return to the Olde Ways will be beneficial for all."

Aidou frowned, torn between doing what was best for her, and serving her as he was supposed to. He sighed. "Alright. I'll let it go for now, Yuuki-sama, but if it gets worse, I will tell Kaname-sama."

Yuuki nodded. She could agree with that. Even if she did need more blood, she would just ask Akatsuki. Or force blood tablets down her throat. She would not endanger her brother's plans.

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Kaname locked himself in his office after he shared blood with his fiancée. Normally Yuuki would follow him in, chatting about what she and Aidou did that day and asking how his plans were coming. Today she had claimed tiredness.

He had let her go with a gentle kiss, wishing her a good day's rest. He had noticed recently that she seemed less energetic and much paler than normal, and Kaname couldn't help but wonder if this new lifestyle was getting to her, that she was having trouble adjusting. So many expectations came with being a Pureblood. Yuuki had always pushed herself beyond her limits for those dear to her. He didn't doubt she was doing it know. She had voiced her concerns once, about not being good enough for him. Kaname thought he had quelled those fears.

He had no doubt that she would exhaust herself learning to be the perfect Pureblood. While glad that her study habits hadn't reverted back her none existent ones from school, he would actually prefer her tendency to procrastinate over this obsessive studying.

Kaname sighed. He would talk to her later, remind her that she needn't learn a lifetime's knowledge in such a short time, and that no one expected her to.

A knock sounded on his door. Aidou poked his blonde head in. "My lord, may I speak with you. It's about Yuuki-sama."

Kaname had been about to deny him, tell him he was too busy to be disturbed, but waved him in. Hanabusa spent all day in the presence of his sister and would be able to tell him what was wrong. Kaname gestured for him to sit.

Kaname prepared himself for a rant on how their current plans were pushing Yuuki to work herself to death, and that he should do something to see that she rests. What he got was entirely different.

"Yuuki-sama's pregnant!" blurted Aidou. He slapped his hands over his mouth as soon as the words left. He had not meant to tell his lord so frankly!

"Hanabusa, I . . . is she really?"

Aidou blinked, sure it was his mind playing tricks on him. He had never seen Kaname so jubilant. His whole face lit up and his eyes were shining. "Yes, but I'm worried for her."

His lord's happiness dimmed. The ice wielder rushed on. "It seems to be progressing so quickly. She's already experiencing the blood cravings, my Lord, and at such a frequency that I'm hard pressed to sate her." He paused to drink from his thermos of synthetic blood. "She also tires very quickly and occasionally complains of back aches or foot aches. I-I don't know what to do, my Lord." He finished, hands falling uselessly into his lap.

To his surprise, when Aidou looked up, his lord was smiling. "My Lord?"

"I believe I know what's the matter, Aidou. It is uncommon, rare even, but I believe Yuuki is with twins."

Aidou gasped. "Truly?"

Kaname nodded. "Yes. Carrying twins will be very difficult for Yuuki. Dangerous. Make certain that she gets all the blood she needs. I will convince her to rest more, or at least work from the bed."

Aidou left his office, glad that he had informed Kaname of what was wrong and more than pleased that he knew how to help. Behind his desk Kaname grinned. He was going to be a father. To twins. His Yuuki was so remarkable.

XxxtheQueen'sSacrificexxx

Yuuki knew that Aidou had ratter her out to Kaname. If she ignored how hurt she felt that he would go behind her back and against her wishes, she understood why he did it. He was only concerned about her and worried about his inability to look after her.

But it still hurt that he didn't trust her. Kaname hadn't said anything about her increased blood intake or about her being pregnant, so she didn't think Aidou told him everything, but he dropped his plans for the week to ensure that she spent less time studying and planning parties.

She had protested fiercely, insisted that she was fine and that he shouldn't be ignoring his duties for her. Kaname had silenced her quickly by reminding her of several incidences where she had excused herself to bed early.

With no leg left to stand on, Yuuki was forced to comply with her brother's wishes.

Their meal was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Aidou raced off to answer it, returning with a letter he handed to Kaname.

Yuuki watched his brow furrow as he read. "What's it say, Onii-sama?"

He smiled thinly. "There is trouble with Level Es, lately. Many of them have been spotted."

Yuuki frowned. "This is Sara's doing." It was a statement. She knew that a Level E only came from a human that had been bitten by a Pureblood. One who did not drink from the creator in return. They were driven into madness, insanity. They hungered only for the taste of blood. Only a Pureblood could change a human into a vampire, and Sara was the only other Pureblood.

"Yes."

"Why though? What does she gain? The nobility will know it was her?"

"They will not care. The nobility is too concerned with themselves to notice the excessive numbers of sub-vampires. They will not care who created them, only who deals with them. They dislike having to deal with them but dislike even more having the hunters deal with them. Sara is creating dissent. She is trying to force me to either stop my war on the hunters, which would anger the nobility, or to order to nobility onto the streets to hunt down rats, which would be an insult."

"I think that you should deal with the vermin, my Lord." Aidou suggested. "Exterminate them. The hunters are already hiding like the cowards they are."

"No. If I let up on the hunters, they will believe me weakened, stretched too thin. I cannot have them trying to take advantage of this situation."

"Can't we deal with both? I can take care of Level Es."

"No, my love."

"But I did as a human. It was part of my job as a Disciplinary Member to destroy Level Es!" Yuuki protested.

"Which you couldn't do. You felt sorry for them and hesitated." The brunette flushed at the reminder.

Her brother shook his head. "It's simply not safe for you, Yuuki. You're still adjusting to your vampire body."

"Then send Aidou and Akatsuki with me. They can help, and they'll be there if things go sideways."

Kaname put his foot down, refusing to let her help in any way. In a fit of tears, she stormed out of the dining room, letting the two males plan how to deal with this latest problem. It was unfair that she wasn't allowed to help.

They were a pair now. Two. It was their plans, their choices. They decided these things together. He hadn't refused her contributions or help when she was human, but he did now. He had never left her out once she became his Consort. It raised all sorts of uncertainties in Yuuki. Did Kaname like her better when she was a human? Did he wished he had never turned her, or even taken her as his Consort? Would he have preferred to continue to work on his own, or maybe he would have gone to Shirabuki?

Determination filled her. She would prove to him that she could handle the role and responsibility of Queen and Consort.

And she would start with the hunters.


	2. Chapter 2

**A second story which I do not own. But one I updated twice in a week. Miracles do happen.**

Kaien Cross observed his adoptive daughter as she poured tea for the Vampire Hunter Association President, a woman with olive green eyes, pale purple-grey hair that is partly tied up, and a light complexion and Touga Yagari, his old friend who could not look more different from his leader. He had long, wavy, jet-black hair, blue eyes, an eye patch over his right eye, a wide brimmed cowboy style hat and a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

Yuuki looked serene, nodding her head politely when Touga scoffed and said he wouldn't drink anything a vampire gave him.

"That is your choice." She dropped a blood tablet into her teacup, stirring the water until it turned blood colored.

"Why have you asked us here?" The President said from behind her fan.

Yuuki gently set her teacup down on its matching saucer, sunlight glinting off her diamond ring. "We have something we'd like to discuss with you."

"We?"

"Kaname and myself. He apologizes for being unable to attend but he is personally seeing to the execution of several Level Es." His daughter said softly. "I know that my brother has previously asked you to disband your association. . ."

Touga leapt to his feet. "And like we told him, we will do no such thing. Your brother doesn't know what he's asking. We can't trust vampires to police themselves!"

"Please calm yourself, Yagari-sensei. Kaname acted hastily but he did so in the best interests of our nations. If you will allow me to explain."

"Kaname's actions only prove how dangerous vampires can be. Vampires are violent creatures. They take pleasure in killing. How could shutting down the hunters benefit us? If we don't kill the rogue and dangerous vampires, who will?"

Kaien expected his daughter to lean forward eagerly, eyes wide and shining, as she babbled how vampires weren't evil creatures. Yuuki did none of those things.

Instead the Pureblood picked up her cup once more, draining the liquid inside. "Allow me to explain." She repeated. "As you have no doubt heard, we recently lost all of our Senate members to an attack from Rido. Without a governing body, vampires were unsure how to act. There isn't a policy to follow when all of your leaders are dead.

"Kaname has stepped up. He recognizes and acknowledges the flaws in our society. In order to fix those flaws we are reinstating the Olde Ways."

The two vampire hunters stared at her. "I see you are unfamiliar with them. Vampire society was once a monarchy, and rather like human monarchies, such a system spurned jealousy and murder as Purebloods and Aristocrats fought over the crown. Over the last month Kaname has been reestablishing the Olde Ways."

Yagari put out his first cigarette on the coffee table, Kaien nearly admonished him for it and would have if not for Yuuki's stern look, and lit a second one. "And I suppose he's the new king."

Yuuki inclined her head, long dark brown hair swishing as she did so. "The Olde laws state that only pure blood can sit upon the throne. My brother is the last male Pureblood."

"While your history is fascinating," the female head of the vampire hunters interrupted, "I want to know what this means for us."

"It means that your services are no longer needed. Your powers were bestowed upon you by a Pureblood Ancestor in the hopes that humans and vampires could coexist. But you have abused your powers. Your hunters kill vampires for sport, no longer satisfied with hunting Level Es. From now on, vampires will monitor their own."

"Kaname cannot do that alone."

"My brother is not alone."

"And how do you intend to keep a leash on the rest of your kind?" Touga growled. "There are dozens of Level Es on the streets now."

Yuuki's normally brown eyes glowed crimson. "Pureblood is not just a title. Purebloods are power. Our abilities outweigh your own. The Magick involved will tie all vampires to their Queen. Her will shall be their will."

Kaien shivered at the ice in Yuuki's voice. She had asked him to be here to act as a mediator, having once been a hunter. But his daughter didn't seem to need his help. She knew just how to handle the two hunters.

"And I follow my father's beliefs. Humans and vampires can live side by side. There will be no Level Es."

Yuuki's tone brokered no arguments. It left the two vampire hunters gaping at her like a fish out of water. Kaien beamed proudly at her, unable to believe his sweet Yuuki was the same confident vampire.

"Now that you have been informed, I will only ask you once to recall your hunters and cancel your lists. You have one month to disband your association or I will do it for you."

Promise delivered, Yuuki's personality did a complete one-eighty to the human daughter Kaien had raised, cheerfully thanking the two hunters for visiting and wishing them a safe journey.

He pounced on his daughter, tears already streaming down his face. "Most impressive my daughter. Daddy is so proud of you!" He hugged her tight to his chest and spun her around in circles. "Advocating peace between the two races just like me."

"Of course we would. I know better than most that your dream is possible." Yuuki smiled softly. "Kaname-nii-sama plans to make it mandatory for vampire children to attend Cross Academy. You might have to make the Moon Dorms larger."

The intensity of Kaien Cross's tears increased to a rushing river. He had never imagined this day would come when Kaname begged him to take Yuuki in that winter night.

He shed more tears as he left that afternoon. The brilliant mind behind the happy go lucky personality whirring, piecing together the little oddities he had noticed; the numerous blood tablets his daughter had taken, how she folded her feet underneath her on the settee, something she only did when her feet ached, and the slower movements, like she was swimming in molasses.

The over two hundred year old man skipped to his car. He was going to be a grandfather!

Xthequeen'ssacrificexxX

Yuuki was already asleep when Kaname returned to the Kuran Manor after a day of hunting Level Es. It was unsurprising. After all, Kaien's exuberance was enough to tire out a normal vampire. It was a wonder that Yuuki had managed to live with him for ten years and not turn into a mini female version of him.

So Kaname thought nothing of his Consort's early night.

Until Aidou presented him with an empty pill container. The one Yuuki used to hold the blood tablets she wasn't supposed to be consuming.

The blonde Aristocrat could offer him no explanation seeing as he had joined Kaname on the day's hunt. Yuuki had informed him of her desire to have her adoptive father over, so he had felt it safe to bring Aidou with him.

Clearly he was going to have to keep a closer eye on his sister. Perhaps he could assign Akatsuki to always be at her side too. He could say it was to sate her blood cravings.

Blood cravings.

Kaname felt so stupid. Guilt twisted his insides. Both he and Hanabusa had left, so Yuuki had had no blood sources and was forced to resort to blood tablets.

He wanted to bang his head against the wall for all the good it would do him. How could he have been so thoughtless? How could he have forgotten that she needed fresh vampire blood every few hours? Her hunger would be tremendous when she next woke.

Kaname decided to make Akatsuki a permanent fixture in the manor. Aside from the extra protection it would offer and the second pair of eyes to look out for her, Yuuki would never find herself short on blood.

Xxxthequeen'ssacrificexxX

The Pureblood was surprised to receive a message from the head of the Hunter's Association midafternoon.

_Dear Kuran-san,_

_Please note that we have already begun to do as you asked. There will be no need for any more of our own to die._

_All vampire kill lists were voided and the hunters have been ordered to turn in their weapons, which will be melted down._

_The Hunter's Association had been officially disbanded._

_Pass along our congratulations to Kaname for your upcoming nuptials and our thanks for handling the ex-human situation._

_Tamen Sei._

So the head of the Hunter's Association had a name. Then he realized the letter was not addressed to him but to Yuuki.

When had she contacted Tamen? How did she convince the woman to do what he could not? When Kaname had demanded her hunter's disband and cease hunting his vampires, the woman had laughed mockingly behind her fan and said as long as vampires walked the earth, so, too, would hunters.

He needed answers, so he shook Yuuki awake. Brown eyes looked blearily up at him. "Kaname?"

Yuuki's eyes focused on the open letter and empty pill bottle her brother held. She quickly read the short missive as her brother frowned at her. Guilt churned in her stomach, causing her throat to tighten. She hadn't thought the Association would comply so quickly. She thought they would drag it out to the last day, taking advantage of the month in which they could still kill vampires, and either force her to kill them because they refused to disband or sink into the shadows to continue their war on vampires.

She thought she would have time to soften Kaname to the idea of her meeting with the hunters.

"Why?" It was one word but it asked many questions. Why did you not tell me? Why did you go behind my back? Why did you get involved? Why did you drink all your blood tablets? Why were you not resting? Why did you lie to me?

"We're supposed to be partners, equals. But you wouldn't let me help."

"You're pregnant. I cannot let you fight Level Es and hunters in your condition."

Yuuki sighed. "So Aidou did tell you. It doesn't mean I'm made of glass. I supposed to be your Queen. What vampire is ever going to listen to a queen that doesn't involve herself? I just wanted to prove I have what it takes."

"What it takes?" He repeated. "Love, you will be an excellent queen. You don't have to prove that to anyone, let alone me."

"But I do," insisted Yuuki. "You haven't let me help at all lately. You've been handling Sara and the hunters on your own." Unbidden tears obscured her eyes. "I thought that maybe you didn't want me anymore."

Kaname knelt beside the bed, taking left hand into his own. "You are my life, Yuuki. I don't want to see you or the children hurt."

Yuuki cursed her hormones as she started crying uncontrollably. "I can take care of myself. And I have Aidou to protect me."

"But Hanabusa wasn't there yesterday."

"It was just a meeting with the hunters." Yuuki snapped. "My father was there."

It was Kaname's turn to sigh. Yuuki was always rather stubborn, but she was even more so when she perceived she was right, or if she was trying to help someone she cared for. Pacifist at heart, she just didn't see the danger hunters posed, especially in her condition.

"Well, whatever you said to them worked. The hunters won't bother us in the future. How did you do it?"

Yuuki blinked at her brother's switch in topics. "I just told them we could police our own and that there would be no more Level Es. I think they would have listened to you the first time if you explained the ancient Magick involved."

"And the blood tablets?" His wine colored eyes narrowed as her skin took on a faintly green tint.

"I couldn't drink real blood in front of them. They would think me a hypocrite, promising the protection of humans, if I sat there sipping their blood. So I forced myself to drink the tablets."

"You foolish girl." Kaname said tenderly. "From now on I won't exclude you and you promise to drink no more blood tablets. Deal?"

"Deal."


	3. Chapter 3

**It's been a while, I know. But there's sneakiness and nefarious plotting below to read. That should be a good apology. And I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

Akatsuki stood as still as a statue in the grandiose dining hall. Burnt-orange eyes were trained on his Lord's fiancée as she scribbled a list of tasks she wanted to accomplish that day.

It had taken numerous pleas ("Yuuki-sama, you cannot leave the mansion. Kaname-sama said it was not safe."), logic ("Please be reasonable, my lady. We're here to serve you. You need to let us help.), Hanabusa's wailing ("Your brother will kill me if I let you do all this!"), and more than a little emotional blackmail ("This much stress cannot be healthy for your child, my lady."), which stopped her in her tracks, to convince Yuuki to stop working so much.

Kaname had only reassigned him two days ago, but Akatsuki could see why his to be king was so worried.

Yuuki was restless.

Maybe it was because she was no longer patrolling the Academy's grounds to protect the secret of the vampires' existence. Maybe it was anxiousness over her whiplash change in status, from human to Pureblood and preparing herself to be a mother and a queen. Maybe it was worry for her brother who was returning home later each morning, drained from hunting down an army of Level E's all night.

Whatever the reason, Yuuki was unduly stressing herself, and neither he nor Aidou could stop her from thinking about the extensive list of things she needed to deal with.

There was a slight hiss of air.

In a flash, he sunk down on one knee by Yuuki's chair, head tilted to the side and neck already bared.

Aidou had quickly learned, and made sure that it was the second piece of information Akatsuki knew, the first being that Yuuki was pregnant, that that hiss of air came when Yuuki's fangs emerged unbidden, a tell-tale sign of her blood cravings. The orange haired vampire admired his cousin for handling her extreme cravings by himself for a month.

After she had fed, tongue darting out to catch the blood clinging to her lips, Aidou insisted, and got, Yuuki's return to her room to rest. The blonde, who the Pureblood was infinitely more comfortable with, accompanied her inside while Akatsuki stood guard outside her bedroom door.

Akatsuki, and the whole Kain family, had always been pro-monarchy. His family had been ecstatic about the revival of the King and Queen. They had never cared for what was supposed to be an equal distribution of power amongst the upper two levels of vampires. Being creatures that lived infinitely long lives, they needed rules and restrictions.

The Senate had been a joke. They had pretended they held power and that they were in control, but when they pushed too hard, a Pureblood always put them in their place. The Senate could not stand against the power of a Pureblood.

Not when it was so instinctively ingrained in them to defer to the will of Purebloods.

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Sara looked critically at the young girl her handmaidens had brought before her. The human was rather cute. Sara wasn't a fan of short hair. Long hair was a sign of prestige, a testament for a female to their power and age and standing, but the short brown locks suited the human.

"Tell me your name, darling." She commanded.

"Sayori Wakaba."

"You will address her lady with respect!" snapped one of Sara's more favored handmaidens.

The brunette bowed her head humbly and repeated herself. "Sayori Wakaba, my lady. Please call me Yori."

The Pureblood vampire motioned the girl forward and she hesitantly complied, kneeling when directed to. "And what brings you here, beautiful Yori?"

The human's answer was simple and anticipated. "I wish to become a vampire."

"All of these young ladies harbor the same desire," she said, gesturing with one hand to the score of girls positioned around the room. "Tell me why I should grant you your wish. What will you do for such a generous gift?"

"I attended Cross Academy, my lady. Yuuki Kuran was my best friend."

A hush fell over the room.

Sara sat up from her relaxed sprawl. She sharply lifted the human's head, whose gaze was pointed at the floor, and looked into serious hazel eyes. "Continue."

"We shared a room. I can tell you anything you want to know about her, my lady."

"And you would turn so lightly on your friend?"

"I asked her to turn me. She refused."

"Oh, yes. She doesn't value you." Sara expertly played with the young human's feelings. "I shall treasure you, darling. I promise to change you."

Yori's eyes sparkled with pleasure and happines. "Provided you tell me everything you know."

"Yes, my lady," Yori vowed. "Do you want to know their plans for you? Or how their faring against the Level E's? Or. . ."

"Hush, darling. Business can wait. Come, sit with me. I want to get to know you first."

Yori looked uncertain but didn't dare refuse the vampire. Sara pulled her so that she was sitting in the other woman's lap and wrapped two pale arms around her waist. Dipping her chin into the junction of the human's neck and shoulder she said, "Now, tell me how you came to know of vampires and why you want to be one."

Given the politely phrased orders, Sayori obediently opened her mouth and told her story.

"The Night Class always scared me," she admitted. "There was something different about them and I couldn't understand why all the other girls fawned over them and how they could throw themselves at the Night Class's feet. I couldn't see a reason for the Headmaster to have two students patrolling the grounds every night and overseeing the switch of Day and Night Class students. Especially since one of the Disciplinary Committee Guardians was Yuuki. She was always so insistent that it was her duty, that she had to help, that she was the only one that could. But all I saw was my best friend being worked harder than anyone else, never getting enough sleep and shaking from returned nightmares.

"One night it all changed. Yuuki came back with a bandage on her neck, protesting that it was a little scratch and that I needn't worry. She wouldn't let me clean like she had her other injuries. The next day she skipped classes, something Yuuki never did. After that I hardly saw her in the dorms. She stopped sleeping in our room. She attended class but Yuuki always seemed to be preoccupied with something else.

"I wasn't stupid. I knew something was bothering her. She looked exhausted. Her skin was ashen and there were bags under her eyes. She started where shirts with high collars. Her hand would drift to her neck unconsciously. So, I confronted her. Demanded to know why she was pushing me away. Asking why she was always surrounded by at least three Night Class students. She told me she couldn't answer. It wasn't her secret to share. She ran back to the Moon Dorms crying.

"Kaname visited me that night. I thought he was going to make me pay for making Yuuki cry. He had always been so protective of her. I told her numerous times of how he looked at her, but Yuuki said there was nothing between them, said he was only looking out for her because he had saved her life once.

"If there was one thing Kaname hated, it was anyone upset Yuuki. He constantly put down Zero causing her pain and I saw him snap at a vampire that insulted her. His eyes glowed red.

"That night he told me the truth. It scared me, to think that I lived at school with so many vampires. If it wasn't for Yuuki I would have asked my father to pull me out of the academy. But I couldn't leave Yuuki alone. She needed someone to take care of her, someone to remind her that she was human.

"I told her she was stupid. She was my best friend. I would have never abandoned her.

"I supported her. She confided in me whenever she felt inadequate or when she was uncertain of their plans. That's how I learned about you.

"Kaname never saw you as a threat to his power. He was confident that revealing Yuuki as a Pureblood would derail you and leave you with no foot to stand on. Yuuki disagreed."

Yori paused her tale to take a calming breathe. "My mother died when I was young. Hit by a drunk driver. Ever since then I've been afraid that my life could end so easily, too soon. So when I learned Yuuki was a vampire I begged her to turn me. She wouldn't. And then I remembered you. Remembered that there was another person who could change me. When I heard those girls mention you I begged them to take me to you."

Sayori fell quiet, sighing softly as Sara petted her hair.

"Thank you, darling. Do you think you could do me a favor?"

Yori immediately offered her neck. "No, no, no. Nothing like that," laughed Sara. "No. What I need is for you to return to Yuuki. I need you to tell me everything she and Kuran are planning. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course, my lady."

"Good girl."

xxxtheQueen'sSacrificexxx

"Yes, Kaname?" Yuuki asked when he said her name.

"Aidou informed that you're feeling rather restless." Kaname ignored her undertone mutters about how she was going to hurt Aidou for telling him that and said, "Would you like to invite a your friend Yori to visit?"

Yuuki instantly perked at the thought, cheerful attitude replacing dark promises for her ever loyal friend. She hadn't seen Yori since they left Cross Academy. It would be wonderful to see her again. They could gossip about her pregnancy.

"I would love that. Thank you onii-sama."

"You're welcome, love. How was your day? How are you feeling? Where there any issues today?"

Yuuki prevented herself from sighing. Her brother asked the same questions every evening and her answer remained the same.

"Today was fine. I finished reading the book of Olde Magick. Both Aidou and Akatsuki were on hand any time I needed blood and they made sure I got plenty of rest. On an unrelated note, I found tablecloths to match the china for our Coronation Ball. Twenty-seven more vampires have confirmed they will be in attendance and I have started drawing a seating chart. And I postponed my appointment with the dressmaker.

"But I'm worried Kaname."

Kaname focused on his fiancée. "About what? It sounds like you have everything running smoothly. There's no need to worry about the Level E's. I have a plan to deal with both them and Sara Shirabuki at the same time."

"It's not her." Yuuki waved off his words. "It's this baby. I already love him or her, and I know a vampire pregnancy is different from a human one, but it's all happening all so fast. Mine's not like any of the ones documented. My cravings came upon me at the start and they're only getting worse. Just yesterday I thought I felt movement."

Her brother's hand's leapt to her still flat stomach. "I thought it was my imagination. I mean, it was just a twinge of my stomach, and it hasn't happened since."

As if to prove her wrong the skin of her stomach rippled as if something was pushing it from within. Kaname was smiling so widely that Yuuki didn't want to continue voicing her fears of how unprepared she was.

She had been so excited to discover she was pregnant. She was going to be a mother. She and Kaname were starting a family. It was her deepest dream come true.

And then it progressed so fast, like a snowball rolling down a mountain that gained momentum as grew larger, frightening her.

What if it was her fault? What if something had gone wrong because she had been temporarily turned into a human? Would there be something wrong with her baby?

Every day Yuuki felt she was drowning in her fears. And she couldn't share them with anyone. They wouldn't have answers for her. They would only placate her with assurances she had heard before.

"Don't worry, my love. You and the baby will be fine. I promise."

Yuuki trusted her fiancée. He knew more than she did so she believed him when he said everything would work out.

She snuggled contently in his arms, reveling in the safety she felt there.

Everything would be fine. Kaname had promised. And he had promised not to lie to her or leave her in the dark. So he had to be right.

'Everything will be fine,' she repeated to herself.


End file.
